Sat 9 Mar 2024
Globe Holidays sponsored Stocksbridge Rugby slumped to another defeat at the Coal Pit Lane Arena, after being reduced to 14 men almost from the kick off, as visitors Leeds Medics & Dentists ran in 7 tries without reply to record a thumping 46pts to nil win over the hapless Stocksbridge side. With home matches sponsored by Premier Stone Worktops Ltd, there were several first teamers unavailable or injured : James, Whitaker, Aspin, & Newton in the pack, plus Bowskill, Pearson & Norman from the backs, Head Coach Andy Lawrence was forced to dig deep into his playing roster, & a return to action for the ‘big rig’ Liam Roebuck, alongside Luke Birch helped to complete the squad. With less than 45 seconds on the clock, centre Pat O’Leary received a yellow card for a high tackle, & the visitors took immediate advantage of their numerical supremacy to register the first score with a simple try. On his return from the sin bin, the luckless O’Leary was again cautioned for a high tackle, & received a red card, leaving the home side to play almost a full game with 14 men ! The younger, fitter, well drilled Leeds side made the most of their opportunity running in 3 more tries before the half time whistle, gaining a bonus point in the process & effectively ending the game as a contest, with the half time score of : Stocksbridge Rugby nil – Leeds Medics & Dentists 25pts. It was always going to be a tough ask for the depleted Stocksbridge troops in the second stanza, & despite some heroic tackling, the visitors were able to run in three more tries to leave the final score : Stocksbridge Rugby nil – Leeds Medics & Dentists 46pts.
The John Crawshaw Butchers Man of the Match award went to young half back Jack Leary, kindly sponsored by Mr Mark Logan, who marshalled his back line pretty well, despite a lack of good possession, Jordan ‘spud’ Fletcher, Gary Woodcock & the reliable Lewis ‘eggsy’ Bowman also turned in decent displays in a lost cause. Skipper, that man Adam Frith said afterwards, ‘the sending off killed us, & they had the skills to take advantage of it’, before adding, ‘we need to dust ourselves down & move on quickly for next week. This defeat leave Stocksbridge bottom of the Counties 4 Yorkshire (Phase 2) South league ladder with only 2 regular season fixtures left.
Thornensians are next up for Stocksbridge as they travel to the Doncaster area next weekend, with the reverse fixture at the Coal Pit Lane Arena the week after, on March 23rd, with a 3pm kick off time.
